Proposal to amalgamate two or more provinces

A parliamentary subcommittee is reported to have proposed that two or more provinces be amalgamated into a single unit with the approval at a referendum by the people living in these provinces.

The six committees which interacted with the stakeholders on formulating a new constitution submitted their reports to Parliament on November 19. One such committee had also proposed that such a provision be included so as to enable the merger of two or more provinces with the consent of people. It had also proposed the reduction of the powers of provincial governors.

One of the recommendations was the abolishing of the presidency. In such an event, the Prime Minister will have the authority to appoint governors to the provincial councils.

If such a proposal is enacted, the powers of the chief ministers would be strengthened with more independence in governance.

Today, the governors are appointed by the President. They even have the powers to sanction statutes passed by their provincial councils. The committee has recommended the abolition of the concurrent list under the present constitution outlining subjects coming under the purview of the central government and the provincial councils.

Education, health, and environment are some of them. Parliament will have a three-day debate on constitutional reforms in the second week of January. (Kelum Bandara)

– See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Proposal-to-amalgamate-two-or-more-provinces-119727.html#sthash.UqO8F2or.dpuf